Wings

Small in the plaza a lone figure
stares
Young in her yearnings and old in her cares.
She doesn't have jewels, diamonds and rings
But under her coat she has wings.

Crumbling sidewalks and drizzling
skies
People brush past her with unseeing eyes
The veil of illusion like spiderweb clings
Under her coat she has wings.

Cruel is the world that she
is caught in,
Dreaming, her wings she has forgotten,
Footsore as any mortal going,
Lost here, she looks on me unknowing.

Cloaked in the dark her aloneness I
chart
She thinks she is mortal; I might win her heart;
But keeping her crippled, the thought of it stings
Under her coat she has wings.

Under the stars alone I find
her
Gazing on heaven, I remind her
Suddenly bursting to astound me
Wings like a beating heart around me...

Closing my eyes for a moment alone;
I needn't look up, I know well she has flown.
Her trench coat lies shed like the leaves the wind
flings
Under her coat she had wings.

Creature of air myself I knew
her;
Though I have wings I can't pursue her.
Her wings are white and shining feather
My wings are dark and gleaming leather--

Wishing I'd kissed her just once while I
could,
Kneeling, I touch the last spot where she stood.
Love and compassion are bitter cruel things
Under her coat she had wings.

Indented lyrics are sung to bridge melody.

This song was inspired by Rory Miller, who told me about some
graffiti he saw in North Portland (Oregon) about 1996 or so. I had
the basic idea for it for a couple of years before I could make it
come out evenly. My thanks to those who listened patiently to the
early fragments.